3-mercaptopicolinic acid

3-Mercaptopicolinic acid (3-MPA, also known as SKF-34288) is a small molecule inhibitor of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), targeting both the cytosolic (PCK1/PEPCK-C) and mitochondrial (PCK2/PEPCK-M) isoforms. Originally developed by Smith, Kline & French in the 1970s as a hypoglycemic agent to inhibit gluconeogenesis, 3-MPA has since been widely utilized as a research tool to study metabolic pathways. It acts as a competitive inhibitor of phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) and oxaloacetate (OAA) binding, while also binding to an allosteric site on PEPCK. In preclinical studies, 3-MPA has demonstrated efficacy in reducing extracellular matrix production in fibroblasts, attenuating bleomycin-induced lung injury and fibrosis, and overcoming chemoresistance in cancer models such as melanoma.

Other names

3-mercapto-2-pyridinecarboxylic acid3-mercaptopicolinic acid hydrochloride3-MPA3-sulfanyl-2-pyridinecarboxylic acidMPA